


midnight sky

by the_hero_she_deserves



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Adora (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, Ambiguous Relationships, Angst, Anxious Adora (She-Ra), Arguing, Badass, Bisexual Glimmer (She-Ra), Complicated Relationships, Coping, Dark, Dark Glimmer (She-Ra), Drinking, Emotional Hurt, F/F, Glimmer (She-Ra) Swears, Glimmer Needs a Hug (She-Ra), Glimmer-centric (She-Ra), Healing, Hurt, Hurt Adora (She-Ra), I Tried, Inspired by Music, Jealous Adora (She-Ra), Memories, Not Canon Compliant, Other: See Story Notes, POV Third Person, Partying, Past Adora/Glimmer (She-Ra), Past Relationship(s), Post-Break Up, Post-Canon, Post-War, Queen Glimmer (She-Ra), Song Lyrics, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:40:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,358
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26328019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_hero_she_deserves/pseuds/the_hero_she_deserves
Summary: 𝘐𝘧 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥, 𝘮𝘢𝘺𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘥𝘥𝘢𝘮𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯.𝘉𝘶𝘵, 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯’𝘵. 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘧 𝘴𝘩𝘦’𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘦𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘰 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘰 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘵.
Relationships: Adora & Glimmer (She-Ra), Adora/Glimmer (She-Ra), Bow & Glimmer (She-Ra), Catra & Glimmer (She-Ra), Minor or Background Relationship(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	midnight sky

**Author's Note:**

> Rated Mature for some curse words you may find in there, and subject matter that is more on the adult side of things. There is implied sex, but it's a very small part of this story. It's really because of the mention of drinking and partying to excess. 
> 
> *Before we get into this lovely fic I've written, let me just say one thing:  
> The part where Catra and Glimmer share an amorous connection, it really is just a hookup that is convenient for them both at the time it is happening. That's how I view it at least. You're free to interpret things however you wish, but being that the focus here really is on Glimmer and her past relationship with Adora (and it's such a minor detail), I chose not to tag it. 
> 
> *Each of the line breaks signifies the beginning or end of one particular memory. Thought I might mention that to make this work easier to track as you read. And anyway, given Glimmer's state of disarray and disorganization inside herself, it just made sense to visit the memories in a sort of choppy manner. 
> 
> Based on the song 'Midnight Sky' by Miley Cyrus.  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UI3KF6Egde8

A faucet squeaked off in the girls’ bathroom. She dried her hands as she caught sight of herself in the mirror before her. She looked rough. Her hair was nowhere near as neat as it was when she first came out, her eyes looked like they had extra amounts of eyeliner on, even though she’d put the regular amount. It only looked that way from the dark circles that appeared when sleep became more of a rare luxury than a nightly requirement. She took the towel in her hands and smoothed it over her face - after all, she’d just splashed water there to wake herself up.

She didn’t know the time, but even from beyond the bathroom, music blared. Of course, it would be, this was a club known for its wild parties, and even wilder selections of drinks. Standing and walking slowly was about all the girl could manage to do at the moment. It would have been a lie to say she hadn’t indulged in some - okay, many - of those drinks offered.

The blasting bass from the speakers, reverberating off the walls and pounding through the floor was enough to make anyone sick.

_Yeah, it’s been a long night_

_And the mirror’s telling me to go home_

_But it’s been a long time_

_Since I’ve felt this good on my own_

Dragging her feet out of the bathroom, Glimmer started on her walk home. She couldn’t trouble her friends with this, and she didn’t trust herself to get home any other way. Into the night she walked, with the crickets chirping much more pleasant music into her ringing ears than the hole-in-the-wall place she had just been at. There was hardly any wind, and it was a warm summer night.

 _At least there’s that._ Glimmer thought to herself.

She had been sick. (No, not of the alcohol). She was sick of the same old thoughts coming around to haunt her again. Didn’t they ever stop? Didn’t they ever leave her alone? Every night as she tried to sleep, they would seep in like light in the cracks of a doorway. They’d invade her mind in the day at random intervals; weren’t they done with the war? They were the reason she had started this life - going out to places that blare music for all hours of the morning, where the drinks and the dancing simply don’t stop. The places with bright lights, and usually the stench of smoke on the air where it was easy to find someone to escape with - escape into.

Not that Glimmer hung around long enough for any of that to happen though. If she could just dull her mind, maybe these goddamn thoughts would stop coming in. But, of course they didn’t. Nothing was ever strong enough to defeat the power of memories. Even if she’d rather set fire to them herself, there was nothing she could do against a mind that wanted to remember. There was nothing she could do against a heart that wanted to love through its hurt.

_Goddamnit Adora! …. This is all your fault._

The girl thought as she wiped one stray tear that threatened to form at the very corner of her eye. Her eyes stung. Probably from all the fatigue, but there was no doubt that some part of it belonged to the blonde. Even now - yes, even now - she was tangled up in her.

_Lotta years went by_

_With my hands tied up in your ropes_

_Forever and ever_

_No more_

Glimmer sighed and peered up at the sky. After all, there was no use in looking at her feet as she walked. She witnessed the stars twinkle above her.

The stars **_she_** once had given to her.

_The midnight sky_

_Is the road I’m takin’_

_Head high up in the clouds_

_I was born to run_

_I don’t belong to anyone_

_Oh no_

_I don’t need to be loved by you_

_Fire in my lungs_

_Can’t bite the devil on my tongue_

_I don’t need to be loved by you_

Entering the grounds of her estate, she was met with a pair of eyes. A figure stood against the wall with her arms crossed. It’d have been impossible to miss the sight, after all, even in darkness her eyes were like glow-sticks. One shone yellow and the other blue, and goodness had Glimmer seen too many of those glow-sticks tonight. A smirk painted the face of the girl leaning against the stone of the wall.

“Late night again, Sparkles?”

“Shut up.” Glimmer mumbled.

It was inexplicable, really. Lips met fervently in that darkness, and no more did Glimmer have to look at those glow-sticks for eyes. The heat was unpleasant, especially as it was summer, but it wasn’t unwelcome. It was a different kind of heat, not the sweaty kind from too many bodies in one small place. The shoes that were carried in Glimmer’s hands fell to the ground with a soft thud, and the two, connected, made their way inside the estate. She couldn’t explain why, but this… helped her forget.

This… was something she needed. At least for the moment. So, it was good enough for Glimmer.

_See my lips on her mouth_

_Everybody’s talkin’ now, baby_

_Ooh, you know it’s true_

_That I was born to run_

_I don’t belong to anyone_

_Oh no_

_I don’t need to be loved by you_

* * *

Black liquid trailed along the outline of an eye and came to a point off the corner of it. Summer had only just begun, and it was the wrong time, evidently, to have neglected getting a haircut. Before a vanity, with her hair styled into a ponytail sat Glimmer. It was just long enough to make a small one. Setting her eyeliner down, she reached for her lipstick; a flirtatious pink to match with the punk tones of her purple shirt, and black jacket. The jacket hung on the back of her chair, as the scent of cotton candy filled the room. Obviously, it was Glimmer’s perfume that had created the aroma.

The queen almost looked like a different person.

For a moment, she couldn’t help but wonder what her mother would say to all of this. She’d probably scold her and tell her to get her priorities in order.

_Yeah, right. You don’t know a thing about having fun._ Glimmer found herself thinking, but how quickly her face drooped into something more sorrowful and her hand froze.

The feelings set in, truly, about losing her mother, and the melody of her thoughts shifted once more.

_Even so, I wish you were still here, Mom._

Thoughts were interrupted as the door to the room opened following a few knocks. Glimmer had only heard the tail end of one as the door swung back.

“Oh.” A voice spoke. “Listen, Glimmer. I know that you’ve been really stressed recently… and that…. you just want to have some fun. But do you really think this is the best idea? We have rebuilding to do and…”

There was silence for a moment. Glimmer set the lipstick down. She could feel how clammy her hands were, feel the sweat drip down her face. Even inside there was no escape from the heat.

Or perhaps, the anger is what there was no escape from.

“You may have won the war for us, but that doesn’t mean you get to tell me what to do.” Glimmer remarked, lowly, trying not to scream.

“….” The blonde had nothing to say for a moment, and wore a downtrodden expression at Glimmer’s harsh statement.

“I know… you’re mad at me…” The other girl began, tentatively.

“Precisely why I’m not staying here. I’m not a part of this conversation anymore, remember? Good luck with your rebuilding, Adora.” Glimmer grabbed the jacket off the back of her chair and held it draped over her shoulder with a few fingers at its collar.

Her shoulder nudged the blonde on the way out, bumping into her purposefully. The door shut with a thud that echoed throughout the vast room, and Adora remained there, wordless. Her expression shone hurt, and her heart beat in her chest like a drum, but she did not chase after her.

* * *

Yes, Glimmer remembered that night.

That had been the first night of many of those nights. That had been the start of her new life.

_She got her hair pulled back_

_Cause the sweat’s dripping off of her face_

_(Her face)_

_Said: “It ain’t so bad if I wanna make a couple mistakes”_

_You should know right now_

_That I never stay put in one place_

_Forever and ever, no more_

_(No more)_

_The midnight sky is the road I’m takin’_

_Head high up in the clouds_

_(Oh)_

Flashing lights, blaring music, drink in hand; this was the most fun Glimmer had had in a while. There was a pulse running through this place. There was a beat that made her feel truly alive. Pressed to a nameless female, heartbeat throbbing like the vibrations through her body at the music, and lips that tasted like alcohol and some cheap lip gloss; that was Glimmer’s night.

Cups were dropped to the floor and the contents still inside spilled on the ground. There were hoots and cheers around for many of the couples finding love on the dance floor. Her jacket had come off at some point, but Glimmer didn’t know where she it flew off to.

Bright Moon would certainly not condone this sort of behavior from its queen. So, it was a good thing Glimmer didn’t care.

_I was born to run_

_I don’t belong to anyone_

_(Oh no)_

_I don’t need to be loved by you_

_Fire in my lungs_

_Can’t bite the devil on my tongue_

_(Oh no)_

_I don’t need to be loved by you_

_See my lips on her mouth_

_Everybody’s talkin’ now, baby_

_Ooh, you know it’s true_

_(Yeah)_

_That I was born to run_

_I don’t belong to anyone_

_(Oh no)_

_I don’t need to be loved by you_

_(By you)_

3 AM.

The queen stumbled home. The door opened to her room, and the light from the hallway (as well as the door being opened not-so-gently) was enough to stir the blonde awake. She had waited her all night for Glimmer to come back, and fallen asleep in the process. She rubbed her eye and sat up, roused from sleep. A yawn sounded, which was enough to grab Glimmer’s attention.

“I’m homeeeeee.” She cried out first.

“Glimmer… hi.” Adora swung her legs over the bed and stood up.

“What… are you… doing here, Adora?” Glimmer managed to say without too much slurring, however, she sounded as though she may throw up.

“Glimmer… are you… drunk?” Adora questioned.

“What’s it to you?” Glimmer bit back with some snark.

“I… just… was hoping we could talk. Or… you know, I could help you get to bed and then we could talk about it in the-…” Adora hadn’t been able to get through her sentence before Glimmer started moving again.

The queen threw her shoes off into a dark corner of the room, and frustratedly tried to untie the - apparently - tight knot that kept her jacket fastened to her waist. It had taken so much of Glimmer’s energy, she was panting as she, too, threw it towards the direction of her vanity. The jacket caught the back of the chair and hung off of it in a crooked fashion. Adora watched her erratic motions and read her face, despite it being flushed from all the alcohol. Her breath smelled of the stuff too, and Adora tried her best not to pinch her nose shut at the stench.

“No!” Glimmer cried, and rather loudly too. She giggled, but it was unhinged. It wasn’t cute or seductive. It wasn’t in response to a joke. 

“Fuck, I don’t know what time it is… but you’re still here! Waiting for me… in my own bed! …Did you think we could talk? Did you think… you could help me to bed and then I’d have coffee in the morning with you and we’d talk this over? I’m done with this conversation, Adora. I’m done with… …. THIS. With… all of THIS.” Glimmer’s arms motioned angrily as she paced, wobbly, around the floor some.

Adora stood still. Again her face morphed into something like hurt mixed with worry.

“You… YOU always tell me what to do! You always think… you know what’s best for me. You… always want to fix things. Well, shit, maybe it’s broken because it’s meant to be broken! You can’t rebuild something until you destroy it, right…?” Glimmer built up to something else.

(She could feel something building inside her stomach too, daring to creep up the ladder of her throat).

“Glimmer…” Adora uttered Glimmer’s name softly.

“Let me be destroyed, goddamnit! Let me be ME. … And now…. I get to tell you what to do. Get out of my room… and leave me alone. Go, Adora.” The queen commanded, bringing a hand to her mouth to stifle the acid feeling gathering there.

_Stay, Adora. Please. Don’t listen to me._

Her mind echoed conversely.

Adora didn’t move.

“What are you waiting for…? I’m not going to tell you again.” Glimmer’s voice lowered back to a normal volume, a rasp present that happened only after yelling fits.

_If only I could tell you how right you are. If only you knew how shit I am at listening to people._

Her mind screamed at her, and her world spun, quite literally, around her.

Adora sighed and made her way for the door. She mumbled something Glimmer couldn’t make out, everything was blurry. It sounded like: “I’ll leave you alone now”, but she couldn’t be sure. The door closed with a gentle click, and the room returned to complete darkness once more. Glimmer felt herself wretch and rushed off for the bathroom as well as she could on her unbalanced feet. Huddled over the toilet, the sick feelings finally left her body.

Huddled over the toilet, tears finally flooded her eyes and rushed down her face.

* * *

_And you listened._

Glimmer remembered that night, as well. The night - the morning - things had changed for good. (For the worse, really).

_Just like my mother listened._

She recalled the moments before her mother’s subsequent death. She reminisced about their last conversation.

_Just like I wished I had._

She remembered when Horde Prime came to Etheria. She could relive the sensation of being taken onto his ship. She could still feel in her bones the chill that went through her prison cell under his ‘care’. She remembered the lies, the manipulation, that feeling of being powerless - all because she hadn’t listened to Adora.

Glimmer clutched her hands to her chest. The crickets chirped still though it was 4 AM. The feline was resting next to her, exhausted after their tryst. Glimmer, down to her undergarments, felt that familiar headache come upon her. Her eyes just wanted to close, and her brain pleaded for rest. However, her heart had other plans. If anything, the queen had grown better at holding her alcohol and didn’t quite feel sick anymore. What she hadn’t become an expert at was restraining the things she felt inside. When she was sure she was truly alone, she allowed the tears to leak out of her, sobbing as quietly as she possibly could.

_I don’t hide blurry eyes_

_Like you_

_Like you_

_I was born to run_

_I don’t belong to anyone_

_(Oh no)_

_I don’t need to be loved by you_

_(By you)_

_Fire in my lungs_

_Can’t bite the devil on my tongue_

_You know_

_I don’t need to be loved by you_

Like ships in the night, Adora and Glimmer were. They hardly spoke anymore. It was rare to catch a glimpse of the other. The blonde had been on her way to her room to get something when she peered in through Glimmer’s door. It was open. Glimmer seemed sick, or upset, the blonde couldn’t discern which. Her eyes pooled with worry and her body froze. The thing in her room could wait - it wasn’t important anymore. As much as she wanted to move in there and carry her to the doctor herself, she remained still. Especially as Bow was already there, arms wrapped around her a tight hug, cradling her close to him.

He whispered and cooed to her, trying to be of comfort.

“It’s okay, Glimmer. I’ve got you. I… got you.”

His voice was a murmur at the distance Adora stood, and all she could do was stare.

Glimmer’s eyes fluttered open and caught sight of Adora across the way, but she had no energy to shoo her and Bow was too focused on the task to notice she was even there. Adora’s eyes trailed across Bow’s arms down to his hands and where they rest against Glimmer’s flesh. How his fingertips caressed her in a way she remembered she used to. Even if things were changed now, even if Bow was a friend, it’d be enough to make anyone jealous.

_Go away._

Adora thought Glimmer’s eyes said. They were warning her with their empty stare.

_Come closer._

The thought sounded in Glimmer’s mind.

_You’re dead to me now._

Adora felt her fists tighten only to keep herself from crying as she kept on ahead at Glimmer’s deadpan expression.

_Make me feel alive again._

The thought stirred in the queen’s brain.

The blonde started with a step and then walked away. Off to her room to retrieve the item she needed, and Glimmer, simply closed her eyes, trying to cope with the spinning room, yet again.

_See his hands ‘round my waist_

_Thought you’d never be replaced, baby_

_Ooh, you know it’s true_

_(Yeah)_

_That I was born to run_

_I don’t belong to anyone_

_(Oh no)_

Glimmer picked herself up from bed and slinked out of Bow’s arms. With a worried expression, but no words to say, Bow excused himself from the queen’s room and shut the door on his way out. He could tell when she wanted to be alone. Dreary and dizzy, she sauntered her way over to her vanity to peer into the mirror. Her eyes could barely hold focus on herself, red from the crying and black from the lack of rest. Her eyes, though a dark shadow loomed over them, still had some glimmers within.

She recalled the moment everything fell apart and felt the twang run through the crack in her heart once more. Nothing was ever strong enough to defeat the power of memories. Even if she’d rather set fire to them herself, there was nothing she could do against a mind that wanted to remember. There was nothing she could do against a heart that wanted to love through its hurt.

There was nothing she could do to shut her feelings out anymore.

Glimmer gave herself one hard look in the mirror and kept on that stare.

_Go away. You’re dead to me now. I’m not a part of this conversation anymore._

All the things she’d said played through her mind like an old and faded audio recording on a cassette tape.

_I don’t need to be loved by you_

_You know it’s true_

_You know it’s true_

A different kind of pulse ran through her body, and a beat in her heart moved her feet in a different way. She looked rough, not at all like she was ready for this, but, then again she didn’t need to be.

This would be the first of many nights after that, the start of a new life, a new conversation.

An image flashed in her mind of blonde hair and blue eyes, and a smile that could sway a heart of ice to melt. She remembered her kindness and her patience, and the way she cared too much.

Adora.

And Glimmer left gracefully (as gracefully as she could for a hungover person). The door to her room clicked shut once more, uncertain when she’d return. After all, there was much to be done.

_(Loved by you)_

**Author's Note:**

> Thought I'd post something new. I have many more of these types of song fics, by the way-  
> If anyone is interested in me posting them to read, let me know in the comments, please. 
> 
> I really hope everything synced up well. I worked pretty hard on this beginning at 1 am - taking a pause in between to sleep - and then resuming work on it in the afternoon. Took a good... maybe.... 3 hours to write?  
> Hope it's appreciated-
> 
> *Oh, and one more note of interest. (I know there's a lot this time):  
> In the ending scene where she's looking at herself in the mirror, I hope it comes across the way I intended it; the meaning switches in your mind from thinking she means 'I don't need to be loved by Adora' to 'I don't need to be loved by you', meaning herself. Because all this while she hasn't been, and it's a slow realization that she *does* need Adora. 
> 
> Anyway, see ya next time!


End file.
